RAFA NADAL feared he would have to pull out of the Australian Open before the start after suffering “unbelievable pain” in his left knee.

The 2009 champion, who also has a shoulder problem, has picked up injuries in the quarter-finals in the last two years here.

And the world No.2 said: “Yesterday the strangest thing happened to me. I was sitting on a chair in a hotel and I felt a crack on the knee. The knee stayed completely straight with unbelievable pain. I had no movement in the knee.

“During the evening I wasn’t sure I would play.”

Nadal went to hospital for treatment but recovered to beat ­American qualifier Alex Kuznetsov 6-4 6-1 6-1 yesterday. And the injury conveniently deflected attention from his criticism of Roger Federer’s refusal to back a proposed players’ strike about prize money.

The Swiss superstar, who extended his winning run to 21 matches against Russian Alexander Kudryavtsev, said: “We can’t always agree on everything. So far it’s been no problem really. Back in the day, he used to say: ‘Whatever Roger decides, I’m fine with’. Today he’s much more grown up.”

Ukraine’s Sergiy Stakhovsky revealed players discussed a strike at the Australian Open at a meeting on Saturday night.

“Some of the players were suggesting we’re not going to play here,” said the world No.65. “There were enough (votes not to play) but it was just not right because we’re here and the Australian Open would have no chance to change anything.”

Another players’ meeting is ­scheduled to take place at Indian Wells in March.